ANCYL gets new vigil venue

Johannesburg - The ANC Youth League will hold its night vigil at the Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria ahead of the planned economic freedom march to the Union Buildings, it said on Wednesday.

"The mass action will continue as planned and all systems are in place," the league said in a statement.

It was forced to find a new venue after Tshwane metro police denied permission to hold a vigil outside the Union Buildings on Thursday night, due to security concerns. The presidency also declined because the Union Buildings was classified as a national key point.

However, permission was granted for the youth league to march to the Union Buildings on Friday morning to hand a memorandum to the presidency.

The ANCYL initially planned to hold a night vigil on Thursday at the Union Buildings, and then present the memorandum on Friday morning. Marchers would now have to spend the night at the stadium in Pretoria, then go to the Union Buildings.

The presidency said permission for the Friday march was granted, provided the ANCYL took full responsibility for the actions of participants.

"The presidency will be available to accept the memorandum from the leaders of the march on Friday," spokesperson Harold Maloka said.

A number of intersections along Nelson Mandela Drive would be closed on Thursday. There would be road closures on Beatrix, Hamilton and Leyds streets.

Youth league members were expected to march from Beyers Naude Square to the Chamber of Mines in Johannesburg, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton, and then to Pretoria.

On Monday, league leader Julius Malema said over 5 000 members were expected to participate.

There would be 1 000 youth league marshals, 500 police officers as well as private security company members to ensure the march was peaceful, he said.

Comments

colin.dovey - 2011-10-26 19:54

Be nice if they put this much effort into working.

Thouca - 2011-10-26 20:06

oh yeh, this is going to be an entertaining day...cant wait for this episode.....

SimnikiweNtingi - 2011-10-26 20:34

Economic freedom = Long walk to freedom

Wes - 2011-10-26 21:25

SimnikiweNtingi Not long ago it was = A Long Drop To Freedom

Grant - 2011-10-26 19:56

"Youth league members were expected to march from Beyers Naude Square to the Chamber of Mines in Johannesburg, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton, and then to Pretoria"
Malema is going to lead the march driving his 4x4 (owned by ABSA).
Seriously, Let's get this straight : 5000 marchers start off at Beyer Naude square, visit a couple of places and then march to Pretoria?
At the hight of summer, no toilets on the road and the M1 put out of use? A distance of about 100km.
No it's just not going to happen. I don't know what the ANCYL excuses will be but I bet they'll be good ones!

Lara - 2011-10-26 19:59

I'm sweating just thinking about it. Expect some dehydration cases along the way.

Rodney - 2011-10-26 20:11

What's the bet more than half fall by the wayside by the time they reach the outskirts of jo'burg. and yes, i can't see malema walking further than 100 yards.

1CRAZYONE - 2011-10-26 21:21

@ maximum speed 5km/hour = 20 hours of MARCHING???? I guess this is not going to be a march but a relay: A group in Beyers Naude Square (to destroy there) Another group at the Chamber of Mines, then a few thousand at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton, and then the rest at Pretoria.
Oh come on ANC - be PRO-ACTIVE for ONCE. All this march is going to do is disrupt people trying to work, and getting from place to p[lace trying to earn money and in the end PAY TAX!!!!

hvklein - 2011-10-27 06:59

Hi Grant - You picked the one weak point in the planning - the toilets. Let's face it, they do need them desperately, because Mampara Malema and his merry moprons are full of s..t!

Gary - 2011-10-27 08:36

I'm hoping for either a heatwave or one moer of a storm. Either way, I don't see 5000 carrying on the march in Pretoria. mPs, it's about 50km......not 100km.

Monique - 2011-10-27 09:03

better pray one of your loved ones don't need the hospital today cause these dehidrated chocolate smurfies will be occupying all the emergency rooms with our tax money!

Phoebe - 2011-10-26 20:00

I thought the ANCYL could only march if they put down a R1m deposit to cover costs for any damages that may be caused during the march. Juju said they wouldn't pay a cent. Did the SAPS backdown? Not surprised, just very, very disappointed. No accountability for the ANCYL.

duettists - 2011-10-26 20:01

Another day of chaos, mess and intimidation to inconvenience everyone. I wish it would rain very heavily.

Sasmart - 2011-10-26 21:49

rain forecast for tomorrow and friday :-)

Mtizozo - 2011-10-26 20:15

Sound a big croud will attend this march, would have been better if all this effort is put on voluntary job creation.

John - 2011-10-26 20:26

In 1993 3 top South African communists went to Russia ( not USSR anymore ) and were told that the central control economy of Stalin did not work.
The "national democratic revolution" (NDR) central control of the economy of Julius Malema DOES NOT WORK.

Cracker - 2011-10-26 20:28

Definition of 'vigil':
Wakefulness maintained for any reason during the normal hours for sleeping.

Ian - 2011-10-26 20:34

hold your vigil in hell, you racist pigs

Mike - 2011-10-26 20:44

hopefully all 5000 just disappear from the face of the earth or even better d??

David - 2011-10-26 20:47

If you walk at 5 km per hour how long to get to your destination?

theo.prinse - 2011-10-26 21:01

The maoist National Democratic Revolution demonstration to nationalize land and resources to benefit Malema and his Chinese is becoming a total flop with his miserable 5.000 rioters

Fanie - 2011-10-26 21:01

Just imagine 5000x8 man hours=40000 hours of wasteful time spent, on demonstration. The ANCYL could apply this time for social upliftment and cleaning of the townships that are very untidy and dirty. How many houses could have been erected in 40000 hours. Mr Malema this is the way to go, if you want to make a difference to the economy.

John - 2011-10-26 21:11

I also have the right to march!
Down the tollgates!
Out the tollgates!

1CRAZYONE - 2011-10-26 21:26

@ maximum speed 5km/hour = 20 hours of MARCHING???? I guess this is not going to be a march but a relay: A group in Beyers Naude Square (to destroy there) Another group at the Chamber of Mines, then a few thousand at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton, and then the rest at Pretoria.
Oh come on ANC - be PRO-ACTIVE for ONCE. All this march is going to do is disrupt people trying to work, and getting from place to p[lace trying to earn money and in the end PAY TAX!!!!

Lara - 2011-10-26 22:00

I suggest SA Breweries put up stalls halfway through the march.

Monique - 2011-10-27 09:07

are you nuts? They will get pissed and move onto the highway and damage our vehicles ;)

nerasmus1 - 2011-10-27 00:52

So, 20 hours of marching @ 5 km/h average. Take in consideration that there probably will be more dancing involved that actual marching and slow the speed down to an average of let's say 4 km/h. That equals to a 25 hour trip. That's 13 hours more than the Comrades Marathon and about 24 hours 54 minutes slower than the Gautrain. This thing makes about as much sense as the ANCYL itself, sorry to say.

mmoledis - 2011-10-27 11:13

Haaa haaa aaaa Malema is trying to rebuild his reputation after his corrupt activities were revealed that he is doing wrong things getting people tenders in return for kickbacks.
Now with that march he want just to rebuild himself and nothing else, and that will disturb business at the end of the day if we can not watch properly South Africa under current ANC youth leadership will get itself in some very big problems and divisions within the country and at the end some fightings, so the ruling party must discipline their young brigade before it is too late.